Book-holder



(No Model.)

J. R. GILMAN.

BOOK HOLDER.

mPtnted Jun-e 29, 1897.

NiTED STATES PATENT- Prion..

JAMES R. GILMAN, OF MORIAH, NET YORK.

BooKHoLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,566, dated J une 29, 1897. Application filed March 23,1896. Renewed December '7, 1896. Serial No. 614,835. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. GILMAN, residing at Moriah, in the county of Essex and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Book-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to a book holder or rack, and more particularly to a revolving holder adapted for use in connection with reference-books, such as are usually kept open for ready reference.

Another object of the invention is to provide a book holder or rack capable of supporting extremely-heavy books, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, and the like.

A still further object is to provide a book holder or rack which is capable of holding all the books in an openposition and maintaining them at any desired angle.

Another object is to provide a book holder or rack adapted to carry a series of books in open position, any one `of which books can be brought in proper position for reading by simply revolving the holder to bring the proper shelf in position.

Another object is to provide a book holder or rack capable of revolution, provided with suitable means for locking the shelves in any desired position against rotation.

With these various objects in view my inl vention consists in the peculiar construction of the various parts and in their novel combination or arrangement, all of which will be shown in the drawings, fully set forth in the description, and designated in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this speciiication, Figure l is a perspective view showing my invention in use. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section without the books. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the brake or locking mechanism to hold the rack in any adjusted position. Fig. 4c is a detail perspective view showing the manner of adjusting the shelves.

In carrying out my invention I employ a suitable supporting-frame A, comprising the upright standards a, provided with suitable legs a, and the cross-bars or platform a2, and journaied in the upper ends of the standard d is the axle B, upon which is mounted the revolving rack O, said rack consisting of the circular ends D, suitably mounted upon the shaft B near each end; and while these heads can be made of any desirable pattern or configuration I have simply shown each head as comprising the ring CZ, the spokes or arms CZ', and the hub or central portiond2.

Hanger-arms E are pivotally connected to the inner sides of the rings at the end of each spoke or arm, and between each pair of hanger arms is adjustably arranged the shelves F, said shelves being pivoted at fand having a ledge f at their forward ends.

The hanger-arms E are preferably constructed with a supplemental arm or segment E', and having a series of perforations e, by means of which and the pin c the shelf can be adjusted between said hanger-bars, the purpose of said adjustment being to hold the book at any desired angle; and it will be u nderstood that by withdrawing the pin the shelf can be turned to any desired angle and the pin reinserted to lock the shelf between the arms at that angle.

By means of this device it is clear thateach shelf can be adjusted independent of the other and with reference to the book or books'which it is intended to hold, and inasmuch as the han ger-arms are pivotally connected with the revolving heads it is clear that they will always maintain the same angle as they are revolved, so that there is no danger whatever of the books being dislodged or misplaced.

In order to 'hold the rack in any position to which it may be moved and to guard against movement in case any book or books is removed therefrom, I employ a brake the normal tension of which is sufficient to hold the rack against revolution, but which is not suf iiciently strong enough to prevent said rack being revolved by the user. such a brake mechanism I employ a frictiondisk G, which I mount upon one or both ends of the shaft between the revolving head and the upright standard, and between said disk and standard I also employ a spring-plate H, the normal tension of which is to bind against the upright and the friction-disk, and this tension can be regulated as desired by means of the nut I, mounted upon the threaded end of the aXle or shaft, said threaded end extending entirely through the upright standard, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3.

In providing LOC) In operation each shelf is adj usted between the hanger-arms at any desired angle and the book placed thereon either in an open or closed position, but inasmuch as this device is particularly adapted for holding books of reference which are usually open I have so shown such books in illustrating my invention. Any one or more of the shelves can be filled, but it is desirable to distribute the books as evenly as possible upon the rack in order to prevent any undue strain upon the brake mechanism.

Whenever it is desired to bring any particular book of reference opposite the reader, it is only necessary to revolve the entire rack by turning the heads, and inasmuch as the shelves always swing downward by gravity it is clear the book will always be held at the proper angle for observation.

It will also be clear that as soon as the operator ceases to revolve the rack by hand the tension of the brake will prevent any further revolution of the rack, and in case a book is lifted therefrom the equilibrium of the rack will not be suficiently disturbed to overcome the tension of the brake mechanism.

If desired, the lower shelf or platform a2 can be used as a resting-place for books not needed upon the revolving1 rack.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In aboolcholder the combination with a supporting-frame, of the axle j ournaled therein, the revolving heads mounted upon said axle, the pendent hanger-arms attached to the heads and having supplemental arms or segments, the shelves pivotally supported between the hanger-arms and adj ustably secured between the supplemental arms, the friction-disk, mounted upon the axle upon the exterior of the revolving head, and a springplate arranged between the said disk and supporting-frame substantially as shown and described.

2. In a book-holder, the combination of the main frame, the revolving heads, the pendent arms having supplemental arm portions provided with perforations, the shelves pivotally arranged between said arms, and the adjusting-pins for holding said shelves in their adjusted position, substantially as shown and described.

JAMES R. GILMAN. Vitnesses:

CHARLES- F. RINGER, GEORGE C. BEERs. 

